RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Share

'I know other people in the world who have far worst things to deal with but I have a problem. I have a stutter,' she revealed in a brave and difficult speech that brought tears to the eyes of many in the audience.

'It might seem curious given that I spend a lot of time on the stage but the truth is I've spent up until this point living in mortal dread of public speaking... Public singing is a whole different thing,' she added.

Deepest secret: The 28-year-old singer revealed on an Australian Story that aired on ABC TV on Monday night that she has a debilitating stutter and singing was the only time she felt 'fluent'

The ARIA Award winner, who just went public with her inner-most secret, said: 'S's and t's are my kryptonite'.

The Papua New Guinea-born but Brisbane-raised star said she was also bullied in school for the issue.

'The stage was a happy place because I wasn't me and it still is because I am not me.' she added.

'I’ve never really talked about it before. I used to try and be all the things that I want to be whilst suppressing it or trying to disguise it,' she told the crowd.

Proud moment: Her mother said she was proud of her daughter for talking about her speech impediment that she tried to disguise for years

'But now I think I’d like to be whatever I am, despite it.'

In the episode she also spoke about the reasons behind her decision to open up about such a personal issue and described the years of speech therapy which helped her to overcome and disguise the condition as she achieved fame and success in the music industry.

Vocalist: The ARIA award winner was also bullied in school for her stutter